Good post. Was this thread about tangs anyway? I thought there might be some input about blennies. I have a midas and LOVE mine! Great fish. He's a very active little guy. He has his little hole in a piece of live rock but is usually out swimming with the rest of my fish. I think the midas is the most beautiful of blennies.
Do I have too many fish?
- Thread starter ctniners
- Start date
Thanks jbird69!
jbird69
New member
dont forget that there is another option besides upgrading. You can remove the fish. What percentage of fish that are sold by retailers do you think go straight into an "apropriate" size tank. I would bet less than 1%. I would bet 99+% of tangs in home aquaria are in too small a tank according to the "experts". The fact is, here we have guys learning good husbandry practices by being a part of this great forum and there fish are better off because of it, whether theyre in a 75 or 1000.
Bottom line, if your tangs get too big and you just cant upgrade, give em to someone with a big tank. Until then, enjoy em and take good care of em.
Bottom line, if your tangs get too big and you just cant upgrade, give em to someone with a big tank. Until then, enjoy em and take good care of em.
dh350twin
New member
OK, I'd like to apologize to the OP and everyone else in this thread. This has been something of a sore subject for me lately. We have a new member in our local club who has a 29 gallon tank, and in it there is currently a foxface, a yellow tang, a powder blue tang, a gold rim tang a pair of clowns and a variety of chomis and damsels. In the last 3 months he has also had a different yellow, a powder brown, a naso, a kole, 2 hippos, a sailfin and is currently looking for an achilles or something. He refuses to listen to club members or anyone else, and just keeps replacing tangs. He insists to texting me whenever he gets a new (usually grossly inappropriate) fish, and it has me really bent out of shape. I'm sorry I took my frustrations out on other people. I promise, I'm not usually one of those 'tang people'
FWIW, I agree that the tank is not overstocked, and the blennie would be a very cool addition. Just make sure you get one you see eat at the LFS. Lawnmower blennies are one of those fish that occasionally refuse to eat in captivity.
Imo you really shouldnt apologize again,you already apologized for being rude in the way your first post was.I think by him asking advice is a sign he is concerned.Its our responsibilty to share information we have learned through experience.
If i would have seen this thread when it was first started,i would have posted something like"Imo i think getting a blenny would be fine and planning on upgrading your tank size for your tangs is a very good idea and i bet your fish will really appreciate it"something like that.
TANG POLICE are probably good people who think there doing the right thing by bashing us for putting a yellow tang or hippo in a 55 or 75 gallon,but odds are more then half of them if not all have probably done the same thing in there reefing career,and probably been bashed for it.
Goodluck and happy reefing!!!
dh350twin
New member
I bet you already know the answer to that question.............
lougotzz
New member
No he did not.
lougotzz
New member
Why are you apologizing? You didnt do anything wrong.OK, I'd like to apologize to the OP and everyone else in this thread. This has been something of a sore subject for me lately. We have a new member in our local club who has a 29 gallon tank, and in it there is currently a foxface, a yellow tang, a powder blue tang, a gold rim tang a pair of clowns and a variety of chomis and damsels. In the last 3 months he has also had a different yellow, a powder brown, a naso, a kole, 2 hippos, a sailfin and is currently looking for an achilles or something. He refuses to listen to club members or anyone else, and just keeps replacing tangs. He insists to texting me whenever he gets a new (usually grossly inappropriate) fish, and it has me really bent out of shape. I'm sorry I took my frustrations out on other people. I promise, I'm not usually one of those 'tang people'
FWIW, I agree that the tank is not overstocked, and the blennie would be a very cool addition. Just make sure you get one you see eat at the LFS. Lawnmower blennies are one of those fish that occasionally refuse to eat in captivity.
sdc19982002
New member
Tell me why you see tank of the month pics and so many other posts here with tangs in smaller than 75 gallon tanks and they dont get reamed. Is it because they have a high post count and it makes them immune? I dont get it.
dh350twin
New member
Because its usually the guys asking if they have to many fish,,,,,lol
robow
Ninja Robot
He might but some of us might not so is that a yes or a no? Not trying to be an educated donkey just hate searching for something only to find a thread about it with no answer.
robs.mark
Premium Member
I couldnt agree with you more. I have been using this site for a couple of years now, and, have come across many many threads regarding tang/tank sizes. Now, im not saying its great to keep a tang in a 40g breeder, i think there are a lot of people out there who try to lay down the tang law without opening their eyes. Its all good and well to say 'no, no, no, that yellow tang simply must be in a 90g+ tank'. But some times its not quiet as simple as that. You could have a 200g tank with 500lbs of LR in it, will the fish have any more swimming room than if it were in a 55? probably not. I also think that there are far to many hobby newcomers with very little experience who try to grill people about tangs, is this too get a +1 and feel like a pro? i really dont know sometimes! Then on the other end of the scale there are advanced aquarists who have probably been reefing for 10 years + who think that just because your experienced enough to control amazing parameters with a huge bio-load in a small tank, its okay to do so. What amazes me about this the most is, the 'self proclaimed tang police praise them for it'! A recent example of this could be October's TOTM. Here we have an unquestionably beautiful SPS tank, packed to the rafters with LR, which holds a total volume of 80g of water. Fish list consisting of: A hippo TANG, and powder blue TANG, a regal angel, 3 two spot basslets, 9 red fin anthias, 10 chromis, a fairy wrasse, along with a few goby's. Now in the TOTM threat for that month im pretty sure i saw one or two of them shaking his hand?? Now im not saying that its right or wrong, just trying to get a point across. Its not always black and white. While tank size is important (I cry inside when i see some of these youtube clips with multiple fish in smaller systems) many other factors are also involved.
Just my 2c.
robow
Ninja Robot
:hammer: nailed it. getting a plus one does make you feel good.(I got my first +1 today)
ludnix
New member
If you're wondering why there are some many people ready to call in the tang police whenever someone puts several tangs in a 75g and under, it's simply that time and time again people watch people put tangs in too small of a tank and wonder why their health is continually deteriorating. The issue likely has more to do with whether or not the owner practices good tank husbandry, but caring for tangs does get exponentially more difficult as the tank size decreases. The very fact that current tank sizes will never allow for spawning of these animals is a good indication that is a less than ideal environment compared to what the animal is accustomed to.
I'm sure no one on here is trying to make anyone feel bad, they likely just don't want to watch another fish wither away due to the owner's reluctance to accept that they cannot provide an adequate home for the fish. Which size is acceptable for a particular fish will greatly depend on what your definition of success is (healthyness, happiness, ability to spawn) and dedication of the owner so there will constantly be arguments over what size tank is adequate.
None if this is directed at ctniners, but rather the whole tang issue in general.
I'm sure no one on here is trying to make anyone feel bad, they likely just don't want to watch another fish wither away due to the owner's reluctance to accept that they cannot provide an adequate home for the fish. Which size is acceptable for a particular fish will greatly depend on what your definition of success is (healthyness, happiness, ability to spawn) and dedication of the owner so there will constantly be arguments over what size tank is adequate.
None if this is directed at ctniners, but rather the whole tang issue in general.
Alex T.
Active member
I've seen some pretty weird stuff myself. A friend of mine has a Powder Blue in a 90 gallon. It's the only tang in the tank with some Chromis and a sixline wrasse. While it's definitely alive and eats, in the two years its been in his tank I haven't noticed any recognizable growth at all.
Meanwhile, I have an Achilles, a Sailfin and a Yellow tang in my 6 foot 150 that were all introduced together as 3 - 4 inch juveniles. They're all about 5 - 6 inches now in the same time period. There is a difference in tank size. I'm not out to prove anyone's right or wrong, but IMO and experience it matters. Six Feet is not necessarily optimal for my three tangs as they reach full maturity, so I'm actually going to be upgrading to an 8 foot by 4 foot front to back tank. Terry Siegel (a pioneer in our hobby) has an unbelievable mix of surgeons in his ten foot tank. I believe he has a Yellow, a Powder Blue, an Achilles, A Kole, and a Sohal. All are over 12 years old. What many think is unattainable is the norm in large tanks. We can't all afford them or have the time to devote to such a large tank, but we shouldn't buy the wheels to the Ferrari if we don't have or can't afford the car either. You say you're upgrading soon. You should already have the tank or be planning it as we write. The stresses placed on surgeons (no matter how "happy" one thinks it is) in that space is large. Three years or five years is not a success story in keeping a surgeon. These fish live well past 15 years old, and if they're stunted at an early age, they won't fare well in a larger system either. My two cents.
Meanwhile, I have an Achilles, a Sailfin and a Yellow tang in my 6 foot 150 that were all introduced together as 3 - 4 inch juveniles. They're all about 5 - 6 inches now in the same time period. There is a difference in tank size. I'm not out to prove anyone's right or wrong, but IMO and experience it matters. Six Feet is not necessarily optimal for my three tangs as they reach full maturity, so I'm actually going to be upgrading to an 8 foot by 4 foot front to back tank. Terry Siegel (a pioneer in our hobby) has an unbelievable mix of surgeons in his ten foot tank. I believe he has a Yellow, a Powder Blue, an Achilles, A Kole, and a Sohal. All are over 12 years old. What many think is unattainable is the norm in large tanks. We can't all afford them or have the time to devote to such a large tank, but we shouldn't buy the wheels to the Ferrari if we don't have or can't afford the car either. You say you're upgrading soon. You should already have the tank or be planning it as we write. The stresses placed on surgeons (no matter how "happy" one thinks it is) in that space is large. Three years or five years is not a success story in keeping a surgeon. These fish live well past 15 years old, and if they're stunted at an early age, they won't fare well in a larger system either. My two cents.
Alex T.
Active member
On an added note, it appears every time someone asks if they have too many fish, they already know the answer but want someone to assure them that they can keep three gorillas alive in a coat closet.
To me, reefing is like art. It's not how much you can add to the canvas and make it beautiful, but how much you can take away and not lose any beauty at all. Patience, knowledge and restraint are the most prized attributes in most successful reefers.
To me, reefing is like art. It's not how much you can add to the canvas and make it beautiful, but how much you can take away and not lose any beauty at all. Patience, knowledge and restraint are the most prized attributes in most successful reefers.
treesprite
Member
I recommend not paying attention to responses that don't give consideration to the entire "picture", just pre-formed cookie-cutter answers.
The amount of free space and how your liverock is arranged makes a difference in how many, type, and size of fish that would be ok in a particular tank. If you are thinking about tangs, then think about having a lot of open space and not putting any rock against the back wall, and even consider having a modest amount of rock in the tank but with a lot of rock in the sump.
Tank dimensions and footprint are sometimes more important than gallon size, which is an important consideration for fish like tangs and pod-eating mandarins.
Type and number of tank mates, and system volume rather than display tank volume makes a difference in terms of bioload and feeding regime.
I myself would keep one of a smaller species of mature tang , like a yellow but not a hippo , powder, or other, in a 75g IF 1. the rockwork is very open, and 2. the only fish tank mates are a few small ones like less than 2.5".
You are planning to upgrade to a larger tank before the tangs get big, so just stick to the upgrade plan but move the fish before they get much bigger than 3" (my opinion about what small is for a tang).
The amount of free space and how your liverock is arranged makes a difference in how many, type, and size of fish that would be ok in a particular tank. If you are thinking about tangs, then think about having a lot of open space and not putting any rock against the back wall, and even consider having a modest amount of rock in the tank but with a lot of rock in the sump.
Tank dimensions and footprint are sometimes more important than gallon size, which is an important consideration for fish like tangs and pod-eating mandarins.
Type and number of tank mates, and system volume rather than display tank volume makes a difference in terms of bioload and feeding regime.
I myself would keep one of a smaller species of mature tang , like a yellow but not a hippo , powder, or other, in a 75g IF 1. the rockwork is very open, and 2. the only fish tank mates are a few small ones like less than 2.5".
You are planning to upgrade to a larger tank before the tangs get big, so just stick to the upgrade plan but move the fish before they get much bigger than 3" (my opinion about what small is for a tang).
It does not hurt to ask, especially when the person asking the question knows that there are more knowledgeable and experienced people who do indeed keep the fish in question in same-sized tanks.
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